The Leaflet – June 2022
Dear Friend,
June is National Indigenous Peoples Month, a time to learn, reflect, and celebrate the diversity of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit across Tkaronto. We acknowledge that Allan Gardens is located on the traditional territory of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat peoples, and is now the home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. We honour and celebrate Indigenous people and offer gratitude to the original and ongoing caretakers of Turtle Island.
We also celebrate Pride Month in June and Allan Gardens’ continued importance as a gathering place for the LGBTQ2S+ community during the Festival Weekend.
While we are ready to welcome summer, we are also happy to reflect on the wonderful spring we have enjoyed at Allan Gardens!
In May, we were pleased to attend another Sunday in the Park event hosted by Toronto Metropolitan University’s Office for Social Innovation. Sunday in the Park is a seasonal neighbourhood fair hosted in Allan Gardens showcasing the local groups and organizations that provide invaluable services to the community. The event featured the launch of the revitalized garden at Miziwe Biik and the announcement of Toronto Metropolitan University’s 2022 Indigenous Artist in the Park, Michel Dumont. Learn more about Michel and this artist residency here.
Thank you to everyone who supported our Spring Plant Sale and Seed Giveaway in mid-May and Pop-Up Succulent Sale in early June! Through these events, we raised over $6,000, which will help us to continue providing horticulture and nature programming for the community.
To kick off Pollinator Week, we held a Garden Party on June 18th in the playground! Children watered the new pollinator garden, made nature crafts, and learned about bees and butterflies. Thanks to funding from Pollinate TO, the Pollinator Playground demonstration garden was planted by the community in September 2021 using native plants to attract and feed native pollinators including bees, butterflies, moths, and birds throughout the seasons. We hope you stop by to take a look!
Edible Allan Gardens, our communally tended veggie garden, has now been planted and we’ve already started to harvest fresh produce. This year, food grown in the garden will be donated to the Toronto Food Not Bombs Sunday Food Share in Allan Gardens and to the nearby Moss Park Market.
Starting from July 4th, the Friends will be resuming our Mud-day Mornings in the Garden program for families. This Monday morning drop-in program is an opportunity for families to pop in and discover the wonders of the edible garden. Read on for more information.
We are also kicking off our Summer Matching Gift Campaign. Your support for the Friends permits meaningful programming for children, adults, and volunteers; special events; community outreach; park beautification, and future plans. A generous donor will match the first $2,500 dollar-for-dollar. Read on for information about this campaign and please consider making a donation today!
As always, we are grateful to our volunteers, the City, community partners, and members of the public for the vibrancy they bring to this treasured public space. We look forward to sharing another summer with you!
Board of Directors
Friends of Allan Gardens
To view the full June 2022 issue, click here!
